Generally, this inventive technology relates to a protective covering for a piece of gear such as a camera. Specifically, at least one embodiment of this inventive technology focuses upon elastically deformable, soft, slidingly removable coverings for cameras. Although embodiments may focus on protective coverings for digital cameras, the inventive technology includes coverings for any type of camera, and indeed any type of delicate equipment that may be harmed, marred or scratched upon contact with other objects. Embodiments are particularly suited for protection of the camera during storage in a camera case (or, indeed, storage out in the open), or during retention by a user during “ready-to-shoot” non-use (e.g., retention strap attached to the camera and supported by a user's wrist or neck).
The desire to protect expensive, delicate equipment from physical injury has been known in some industries for some time. Anyone who has used delicate equipment such as a camera knows how easily they can be harmed or scratched. Cameras are, of course, often expensive pieces of equipment that, notwithstanding efforts to protect them, can be and often are harmed in some way (even if only slightly cosmetically marred). Even storage of a camera inside a case might not provide enough protection to the camera, as severe jostling of the case itself can cause enough relative movement between the case and a camera stored inside to harm the camera. Further, such cases often do not provide enough shock absorption protection to a camera stored within.